ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  14. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  17. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. can — a tin
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. root — of a plant
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. land — ground
  12. land — to come down
  13. root — the cause
  14. calf — of the leg
  15. can — a tin
  16. calf — a young animal
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. can — to be able to
  20. root — of a word
  21. chair — a leader
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. land — a country
  24. chair — a professorship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com